Melittidae

Melittidae is a small bee family, with over 200 described species in three subfamilies. The family has a limited distribution, with all described species restricted to Africa and the northern temperate zone. Melittids are typically small to moderate-sized bees, which are well known for their specialist and oligolectic foraging habits. Fossil melittids have been found occasionally in Eocene amber deposits, including those of Oise, France and the Baltic amber. Early molecular work suggested that the family Melittidae was sister to all other bees, and also that it was paraphyletic. Because of this finding, it was suggested that the three subfamilies of Melittidae should be elevated to family status. Neither study included many melittids, due to their rarity. A 2013 investigation included a greater number of melittid bees and concluded that the family could still be monophyletic. Greater taxon sampling in the future should give a more definitive answer.